Non-creped hand or wiper towel

Abstract

Hand or wiper towels are made according to a process which includes the steps of: forming a furnish of cellulosic fibers; depositing the furnish on a traveling foraminous belt, thereby forming a fibrous web on top of the traveling foraminous belt; subjecting the fibrous web to non-compressive drying to remove the water from the fibrous web; and removing the dried fibrous web from the traveling foraminous belt. The dried fibrous web is not creped. These hand towels possess superior levels of absorbent capacity, absorbent rate, softness, and strength to other prior art hand or wiper towels with the same or about the same basis weight. Embossing of the hand or wiper towels enhances the superior qualities of the towels. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transfer of the fibrous web from a foraminous belt of a higher speed to a foraminous belt of a lower speed produces a towel with enhanced strength and softness.

We claim: 
     
       1. A towel having an absorbent capacity of at least about 385%, and an absorbent rate of about 8 seconds or less, prepared by a process comprising the steps of: forming a furnish of cellulosic fibers, water, and a chemical debonder;   depositing the furnish on a first traveling foraminous belt thereby forming a fibrous web on top of the traveling foraminous belt;   subjecting the fibrous web to non-compressive drying to remove the water from the fibrous web; and   removing the dried fibrous web from the traveling foraminous belt without creping the fibrous web.   
     
     
       2. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 1, wherein: the cellulosic fibers in the furnish comprise secondary cellulosic fibers.   
     
     
       3. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 2, wherein: the non-compressive drying is achieved with a through-dryer.   
     
     
       4. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 3, wherein: the towel has a dry tensile strength of at least about 5700 grams, and a wet tensile strength of at least about 1200 grams.   
     
     
       5. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 1, further comprising the step of: embossing the dried fibrous web after removing the dried fibrous web from the traveling foraminous belt.   
     
     
       6. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 5, wherein: the cellulosic fibers in the furnish comprise secondary cellulosic fibers.   
     
     
       7. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 6, wherein: the non-compressive drying is achieved with a through-dryer.   
     
     
       8. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 7, wherein: the towel has an absorbent capacity of at least about 400%, an absorbent rate of about 6 seconds or less, a dry tensile strength of at least about 1800 grams to about 2700 grams, and a wet tensile strength of at least about 380 grams to about 680 grams.   
     
     
       9. A towel prepared by a process as in claim 1, wherein: the first foraminous belt travels at a first velocity; and further comprising the step of,   transferring the fibrous web from the first traveling foraminous belt to a second foraminous belt, the second foraminous belt traveling at a second velocity up to about 10% slower than the first velocity, thereby providing a series of transverse folds in the fibrous web prior to subjecting the fibrous web to non-compressive drying.   
     
     
       10. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 9, wherein: the cellulosic fibers in the furnish comprise secondary cellulosic fibers.   
     
     
       11. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 10, wherein: the non-compressive drying is achieved with a through-dryer.   
     
     
       12. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 11, further comprising the step of: embossing the dried fibrous web after removing the dried fibrous web from the second traveling foraminous belt.   
     
     
       13. A towel having an absorbent capacity of at least about 400%, an absorbent rate of about 6 seconds or less, a dry tensile strength of at least about 1800 grams, and a wet tensile strength of at least about 380 grams prepared by a process comprising the following steps performed in sequence: forming a furnish of cellulosic fibers, water, and a chemical debonder;   depositing the furnish on a first traveling foraminous belt thereby forming a fibrous web on top of the traveling formainous belt;   subjecting the fibrous web to non-compressive drying to remove the water from the fibrous web;   removing the dried fibrous web from the traveling foraminous belt without creping; and   embossing the dried fibrous web.   
     
     
       14. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 13, wherein: the cellulosic fibers in the furnish comprise secondary cellulosic fibers.   
     
     
       15. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 14, wherein: the non-compressive drying is achieved with a through-dryer.   
     
     
       16. A towel having an absorbent capacity of at least about 400%, an absorbent rate of about 6 seconds or less, a dry tensile strength of at least about 1800 grams and a wet tensile strength of at least about 380 grams prepared by a process comprising the following steps performed in sequence: forming a furnish of cellulosic fibers, water and a chemical debonder;   depositing the furnish on a first foraminous belt, the first foraminous belt traveling at a first velocity, thereby forming a fibrous web on top of the first foraminous belt;   transferring the fibrous web from the first traveling foraminous belt to a second foraminous belt, the second foraminous belt traveling at a second velocity up to about 10% slower than the velocity of the first foraminous belt, thereby providing a series of transverse folds in the fibrous web;   subjecting the fibrous web to non-compressive drying to remove the water from the fibrous web;   removing the dried fibrous web from the second traveling foraminous belt without creping; and   embossing the dried fibrous web.   
     
     
       17. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 16, wherein: the cellulosic fibers in the furnish comprise secondary cellulosic fibers.   
     
     
       18. The towel prepared by a process as in claim 17, wherein: the non-compressive drying is achieved with a through-dryer.